Sealing means for vessels.



NQMODEL.

PATENTED MAY 12,, 1903 J. M. HICKS. SEALING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED 11017.19, 1902.

F5 a E WITNESSES: I INVENTOR m: NORRIS FEYERS cu. Pnorauma. WASHINGTON. a. c.

UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. HICKS, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ABBOT AUGUSTUS LOW, OF HORSESHOE, NEW YORK.

SEALING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,947, dated May 12, 1903. Application filed November 19, 1902. Serial No. 131,923. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES MILNoa HICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sealing Means for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for sealing vessels by the pressure of the gases within the vessel on the under side of the sealing means and against the inclosing cap; and to this end it consists in certain elements and combinations fully specified hereinafter and claimed at the end of this specification.

In order that persons skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may understand, construct, and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the drawings herewith, in which Figure 1 is a part longitudinal central section of a bottle providedwith my invention, the sealing-cork being shown in position just previous to being forced into the neck of the bottle byaplunger used in bottling-machines, the fluid contents having been previously injected into the bottle in the usual way. Fig. 2 shows a similar sectional view of the cork after it has been forced inward beneath the inclosing cap. Fig. 3 is a top view of same.

A is the body of the bottle.

B is the neck. I 7 v O is a screw-thread on the exterior of the neck B.

D is the barrel of screw-cap,which takes onto the thread C in the usual manner.

E is an opening in the top surface of the cap, and F is the portion of the top surface of the cap surrounding the opening E, drawn downward at an angle centrally, as shown, leaving an angular space around it between the taper sides and the bore of the bottle when in place on the bottle.

G is a cork about the diameter of the bore of the bottle and about twice the length of its diameter.

This is to be The taper of the parts F be determined by the compressibility of the cork stopper which is to be pressed through the opening E and entirely beneath the taper F by a plunger H or by the fingers. ing done, the cork expands again to its original diameter, and the internalpressure forces the cork upward against the under edge of the taper F and into the taper space between the angular sides of the taper F and the inner surface of the bore of the bottle, entirely sealing the bottle. The greater the internal pressure the better the sealing will be.

To open the bottle, the cap is removed, and the cork comes out by internal pressure or may be removed by a corkscrew.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner in which I have embodied it, what I claim as new and as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a sealing means for vessels the combination, consisting of the cap provided with means for securing it upon the mouth of a vessel, and with an opening in its upper surface of less diameter than the mouth of the vessel and depressed below' the top of the cap; the upper surface of said cap being tapered inwardly and downwardly from its larger diameter toward the edges of the said opening; the vessel mouth and neck being adapted to receive and retain said cap in a fixed position; and a stopperentered entirely below the base of the central depression in said cap whereby the pressure from the con name to this specification, in thepresence of JAMES M. HICKS.

Witnesses:

W. B. AOKER, W. S. AYRES, Jr.

This be- 

